Who is Hirsh Singh? N.J. governor candidate pitches himself in TV ad

TRENTON -- Hirsh Singh, a long-shot and little-known Republican candidate in this year's race to succeed Chris Christie as New Jersey's governor, uses the first television ad of his campaign to introduce himself to voters -- and pitch himself as a "problem-solver"

The 30-second clip, called "Hirsh" and released Thursday, is part of a $300,000 media ad buy that will include spots on radio and television, Singh's campaign said.

It was released less than two weeks before Singh, a 32-year-old aerospace engineer, faces off against four opponents in the June 6 primary for the GOP's nod to replace Christie, a term-limited Republican who is set to leave office in January.

Singh, who grew up in Egg Harbor in Atlantic County and graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, has never held elected office before -- something he mentions in the ad.

"I've never been a politician, but I'm an engineer -- a trained problem-solver -- specializing in aerospace and defense for the U.S. government," Singh says. "I understand our problems in New Jersey, and to how fix them. I know where the waste is and how to cut it out."

"We need a results-driven leader and a problem-solver," he adds.

A poll released by Stockton University on Thursday showed Singh polling at the bottom of the GOP race, with 3 percent of the vote. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno is the front-runner for the Republican nod at 37 percent, according to the survey.